Blog

​

Three Guidelines for Collecting Paintings

1. YOU MUST LOVE IT.

When an artwork calls to you, don’t refuse it.

Take time to look again more closely because perhaps

there is something about this painting that will help unlock a

hidden need or desire or maybe it is simply to make you happy.

The point is don’t buy art because it will match your space or someone says you should,

buy what stirs you inside. Art doesn’t have to match the couch or the living room,

let it match your taste.

If the price is over budget ask for a layaway plan or be creative…

Have a large space and need several pieces?

Ask for a small discount if you take two or more.

Ask yourself, the artist or gallery,

how is it possible to own this exceptional work of art that I love? 

2. KNOW WHO YOU ARE BUYING FROM. 

Art is all around us, and you can find it in many places. Some places worth checking out include galleries, art festivals, or an art auction, artist-run spaces called Co-Ops, restaurants or even charity fund-raising events. Yet, you can be taken if not aware. Read on...

GALLERIES: You will often find higher quality work at curated galleries because an art expert has selected the best pieces an artist has to offer. I like to buy art through galleries even though I could call an artist directly whose work I love. Galleries help artists have a bigger audience. Artists need galleries and galleries need artists.

ART FESTIVALS: Artists set up the tents and fill them with their work. You have an opportunity to meet the artist and see a sampling. You must know your stuff! Once in Italy a student of mine was thrilled at an "original watercolor" she bought. I suspected it was a print and I was right. After looking at her piece, I went to the booth and saw that the artist had replaced the missing spot with another of the exact same image, different size for another unsuspecting person. Don't pay as if an original if it isn't.  Or if the price is too low, why?

CO-OPS: These are artist run galleries. When a group of artists share a space, they take turns showing their work (or each have a small section in the gallery). These shows are less curated so you will see a mixture of the artist’s best work and some odds and ends. Some established artists opt for participating in Co-Ops in order to have more control on what they show.

ART AUCTIONS and CHARITY FUNDRAISING EVENTS: No matter where you go, know who you’re buying from. Don’t just assume because the company, a church or the organization is well-known that the art dealers coming in are legitimate! While many are, at one church fundraising auction years ago, I bought three expensive Dali etchings because they were the “artist proofs” and it was after all - Dali at a fundraiser.

Only you know what? They were fakes. As a young person, I was devastated. It was my first expensive art purchase. 

The same happened to my husband at a hotel auction, who (before we met) thought he was buying a Degas lithogragh #32. The art dealers came into town and set up shop. Both were purchased in beautiful frames all sealed up. These sellers didn’t expect us to open the back for inspection. When my husband took his to a framer to have it framed differently, the print was simply a page from a magazine signed.  My fake Dali's had regular masking tape holding the prints in place which would yellow over time. UGH!!!

When something sounds too good to be true,

sometimes there is a reason. 

The art auctions I like...  local ART CENTER FUND RAISERS because it supports the community.

You will notice a range of pricing. Some artists are newer, some hobbyists and some professional. When prices are higher, it may be due to the artist being more established or they use high quality materials (which are much more expensive). Acid free materials are essential if you want the piece to last. Student grade paint save an artist money. The more you know about the artist, their supplies and methods, the more you realize why some art appears to be a deal. Acid free materials are vital. Even canvas has different qualities. Read about the Jack Richeson paints I use and recommend here. Interesting story...​

A rule I follow (for me) -  collect work by living artists. Look for consistency. I get a joy when I see their art win a prize, it feels as good as when I win.  Also, you know who actually created your piece-and that it is authentic and fairly priced! If you can meet the artist, all the better. I love knowing my purchase helps to keep an artist going in business.  

Does quality matter to you? Find a piece you love? Ask questions about whether the materials are archival (acid free to avoid deterioration) so you can pass valuable paintings to a future generation. And when taking a piece to a framer, always ask for acid free archival products. Most framers will ask you first and it is worth the added expense (unless it does't matter to you whether it lasts or not).

​

3. ART ISN'T an INVESTMENT.

Follow the first rule, do you love it?  Unless you have a crystal ball, you won’t know if the art will rise or fall in value. I’ve worked hard over the years to create a strong body of work, develop a large following which has driven up the demand and the prices. I am working to continue to add value to my pieces by growing as an artist.

I love originals way more than prints. Prints are a flat copy and miss out on brushstrokes and very subtle color shifts that I treasure seeing when looking at the art I have collected. If the original is sold and you love an image, a print may be your only choice. I no longer make prints. My collectors have told me they want one of a kind pieces. They like to have a commission made just for them when they don't see exactly what they want.

 No worry if your budget is small! Start with small originals. Once you have several, group them together to create a statement wall. The frames, the styles, the themes don’t have to match. What does matter is that they reflect a part of you. ​

An artist’s past achievements become more important to me if the painting is more expensive.

Then I look for a consistent record of sales to confirm that the price being asked is warranted. How can you do that? Ask the gallery owner if the artist is a new artist or if they have many collectors. Look to see If they have won awards in national/international shows and are being collected. That’s an indication that the artist will be successful in their long-term but again buy because you love the painting.

Ask yourself, “How much enjoyment can I get out of this painting over the years?” That is what really matters.

A curated solo exhibit most often has the best an artist has to offer. (Oh, see the grouping of my small original paintings in the back left of the gallery from my last solo exhibit in the photo below?) ​

On occasion there is a very exceptional piece in an artist’s body of work. The more you know about art, the more you can spot them. They will more than likely be in a curated exhibit but on occasion, you stumble on (in Facebook or IG posts) a piece first before it makes it to the gallery wall. Or it might be in the back room of the gallery and hasn’t made it to the wall yet. If you see an artist’s work that you like, ask the gallery staff if they have any others in the back. 530 Burns Gallery in Sarasota, one place I am represented, has many on their computer for a potential collector to view. They bring out the ones from the back the collector is most interested in after looking over the inventory on the computer. ​

Calle Richichi, 40" x 30", oil                                                                    L. Richichi

It is possible to see what the painting will look like over you couch with today's technology. Ask me how.

If you contact the artist after seeing a painting on Facebook and Instagram you might contact the artist and buy it direct. Like I said before, though, if you met the artist through a gallery, remind the artist of this so that they give the gallery their due commission. To not do so might cause the artist to lose representation inadvertently as a gallery has to be able to trust an artist to not go behind their back. An artist and gallery must work together so that all benefit. Galleries that have been around are the best place to find great art at prices that are fairly priced. They know what they’re doing and promote artists who produce quality work.

If the artists you love are not in your town, contact their gallery to see the work online. If you ever contact 530 Burns Gallery about my work, let me know too, as maybe I have a piece to give them that is perfect for you.

OPEN STUDIOS offer opportunities to find early works or odd ball pieces that don’t fit into a show at their galleries. Most artists don’t run sales but on occasion have to reduce inventory so they have special prices on a limited number of pieces in an open studio. Prices should always be consistent whether you buy in the gallery or not.  It also gives collectors a chance to meet the artists, ask questions and get a feel for the artist herself. I consider galleries representing me as my partners and we work to bring you the very best we can.

If I may assist you in any way, please contact me and if we met through a gallery, remind me where. ​